My Top 3 Uses for Coconut Oil

If you've been on the internet at all in the past couple years, you've probably seen plenty of people touting the benefits of coconut oil. I was skeptical for a while, but when I ran out of body lotion and was perpetually stuck at home with a newborn Scoops, I reached for the coconut oil in my pantry and decided to give it a shot. Much to my tropically scented delight, it worked even better than my old body lotion ever had. I've been slowly incorporating coconut oil into my daily routine, and have found it great for use on my:

1. BODY
I already gave this one away, I know. No joke though, you guys. I keep a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom and slather my body with it, from my neck to my toes, every time I get out of the shower (not brave enough to use on my face regularly). My skin has never felt softer, and since coconut oil is a known natural sunblock, I'm protecting my skin, too. My husband loves the smell of it, and when my baby tries to use my hands, arms, shoulders, or knee caps as teething toys, I don't have to worry about her ingesting some perfumed, chemical-laden lotion. Since coconut oil is solid in cooler temperatures, I keep a large tongue depressor (fat popsicle stick) next to the jar in my bathroom, so when I'm scraping the bottom of the jar I don't have to break my hand trying to get the last of the solid oil out.

2. HAIR
When my ends look a little dry, I just run bit of coconut oil through them. I also saturate my hair and scalp with coconut oil every so often, probably about every other week, as a deep conditioning treatment. This works best if your hair is damp before you add the oil, but really as long as you're putting the oil on there you're getting some awesome moisture benefits. Coat your hair, comb through it, and pile it up in a loose bun for a few hours (if you can). Then just shampoo it out in the shower. It'll probably still feel like your hair is greasy, but I promise you don't need more shampoo. Unless you used half a jar of oil on your scalp, your hair will probably dry perfectly soft and not at all greasy (I recommend air drying, but I recommend that anyway, regardless of whether you're using coconut oil).

3. BREAST FLANGES
Yep, you read that right. If you're a pumping mama, I hope you're at least using nipple cream on those little funnels before you stick your boobies in them. But there's no need to get special nipple cream. Coconut oil works perfectly! Just dab a little on your finger and spread it on the inside of the flange, where the funnel section tapers into the tube section (see photo). You can also use coconut oil directly on your nipples to heal them if they're cracked or sore. It's food, so unless your baby has a rare allergy to coconuts, you know it's safe!

Have you tried using coconut oil? Do you cook with it, or just use it as a beauty staple? Share in the comments!